First Time Around
by Hex Of The Unseelie
Summary: Legolas, Elrohir, and Elladan are meeting for the first time. The twins are going through a tough period in their life and they last thing they need is the snotty Mirkwood prince around!
1. Difficult Beginning

First Time Around  
  
~  
  
Summary: The prelude to the Song For None series. The boys are meeting for the first time in Rivendell as their fathers negotiate an alliance between Rivendell and Mirkwood. The twins are having problems of their own and the last thing they need is a snotty prince who thinks he is an adult!  
  
Rating: PG-13, little violence, and some tense situations.  
  
Warnings: None, this is not a slash or a romance fic. None to very few invented characters and if there are they are mostly just advisors to Elrond and maybe a few playmates (as in friends) for the boys.  
  
Genre: Action/Adventure, humour, drama.  
  
Archive: Ask nicely and I'll let you!  
  
Disclaimer: I am not J.R.R. Tolkien or a relation to him so I don't own the characters just most of the plot and maybe not even some of that! Don't sue you won't get anything but notebooks with story plots in them!  
  
~  
  
"Father, I don't want to go! I want to stay here!" The little prince of Mirkwood followed at his fathers heals begging him to let him stay in Mirkwood.  
  
"No, Legolas, you are coming to Rivendell with me and you will not say another word about it!" Thranduil shook his head at his son, did the boy not understand!  
  
"Father!" Legolas cried out as Thranduil disappeared into his private chambers and slammed the door.  
  
Legolas's friend Nilhisie stepped out from behind a drape, "So, you're going?"  
  
"Yea, father won't let me stay. This is so stupid! I am old enough to stay here alone!" Legolas turned and walked back towards his room.  
  
"I think so too! What is there to do in Rivendell anyways?!" Nilhisie followed after Legolas, fully agreeing with Legolas's outburst.  
  
~  
  
"You always get me in trouble!" Elrohir shouted at his brother.  
  
"DO NOT!" Elladan shouted back and stuck out his tongue for effect.  
  
"I get blamed for everything you do!" Elrohir pointed at his brother, his face reddening slightly with anger.  
  
"Maybe if you weren't stupid enough to get caught you wouldn't have that problem!" Elladan crossed his arms and glared at his brother.  
  
"You are impossible!" Elrohir bellowed and Erestor came bursting into the room, "Elrohir! What have we told you about keeping your voice down inside! Stop yelling this instant or you'll be helping in the kitchen for the next 200 years!" Erestor demanded and left to room to see the Lady Arwen off to Lothlorien for the winter.  
  
"See, you always get caught because you're stupid." Elladan smiled smugly.  
  
"I'm going to kill you!" Elrohir seethed and ran towards his brother.  
  
"You have to catch me first!" Elladan called and ran out their shared bedroom door.  
  
~  
  
Erestor made his way back to where Elrond was making sure his daughter was ready for her journey, "Be safe my daughter." Elrond kissed his daughter's forehead and she was off.  
  
"Your sons are at it again." Erestor said quietly as he approached Elrond.  
  
"It seems lately they are going through a transition time, they have never fought like this before." Elrond turned to Erestor.  
  
"What do you think is wrong with them?" Erestor asked.  
  
"Absolutely nothing. I remember going through this with Elros. They will get over it though until then I'm afraid we will have to deal with many 'boy things'". Elrond smiled and headed back up to his study where Glorfindel was reading over old negotiation agreements between Mirkwood and Rivendell in case they needed to renew anything.  
  
~  
  
Legolas packed his clothes with out much care, throwing them all into one pack though, his weapons his took special care in packing.  
  
"Are you going to need all those?" Nilhisie eyed the knives and the bow Legolas was intending to bring.  
  
"What else am I supposed to do in Rivendell? Embroider?" Legolas sighed and carefully placed his knives on top of his pack.  
  
The door flew open and Thranduil strode inside, "Ready to leave?"  
  
"We are leaving now?!" Legolas couldn't believe this!  
  
"Yes, come on." Thranduil grabbed Legolas's pack and walked back out the door.  
  
"Well, see you." Nilhisie waved and left down the opposite direction.  
  
"See you." Legolas sighed and followed his father.  
  
~ 


	2. Journey Begins

First Time Around  
  
~  
  
"I'm going to kill you!!" Elrohir chased his brother out the door and through the halls of the Last Homely House.  
  
In his stud Elrond shook his head as the noise of screaming boys and running feet passed by the door, "Boys will be boys." Elrond grinned and tried to concentrate on reading over past negotiation agreements with Glorfindel.  
  
A few seconds later a crash was heard from somewhere in the house and then the sound of a woman yelling followed by the extremely loud voices of two identical terrors.  
  
"Vebor," Elrond called to his personal servant, "please go drown my sons or something for the next two hours, I hear one more noise out of them and I will hang them by their pinkies!" Elrond commanded, his patience long past gone.  
  
"Yes, sir, right away." Vebor gladly left the room, Elrond wasn't the only one who was tired of hearing the two terrors.  
  
Vebor raced toward where the crash was first, the head cook was standing over two female servants as they picked up the remainders of a once glorious vase.  
  
"I am going to kill those two!" The head cook seethed with anger and glared at Vebor who just entered the room.  
  
"Where are they?" Vebor asked.  
  
The cook just shook her head and waved her hand. Vebor turned to hear Elrohir, or Elladan, whichever one, screaming at the other.  
  
Vebor ran towards the yelling to find Elrohir stuck in between two, now broken, railing banisters.  
  
"Elladan! Get back here! This hurts! I know where you sleep at night!" Elrohir pushed at the banister that was trapping him against the other as Vebor came bounding towards him, uh-oh!  
  
"What do you think you are doing?!" Vebor hissed and pulled Elrohir out from the railings and hauled him back towards the head cook, "Your father is very busy right now and you are not helping!"  
  
"It was Elladan!" Elrohir tried to blame his twin but it was to no avail.  
  
Elladan smiled from behind his spot in the bushes as his brother was dragged off to be punished for his wrongdoing. Elladan winked at Elrohir as he passed.  
  
"See! There Elladan is!"  
  
"Elrohir that is a bush."  
  
"No! Elladan is in the bush!"  
  
"Stop lying."  
  
"I'm not lying!"  
  
"You're already in enough trouble for one day, lay off." Vebor shook his head and passe right by the giggling bush.  
  
~  
  
Thranduil rode forward, his son jut behind him and already bored of the ride. Thranduil sighed as his son's voice was carried to him by the wind.  
  
O'er stony mountains cold and gray,  
Through halls of iron and darkling door,  
And woods of nightshade morrowless,  
The Sundering Seas between them lay,  
And yet at last they met once more,  
And long ago the passed away,  
In the forest singing sorrowless.  
  
Legolas finished his song and looked around him at the bare land. The trees of Mirkwood had long since disappeared from their sight and the river Anduin was nearing.  
  
"We will pass the river and rest for the night." Thranduil said over his shoulder to Legolas.  
  
"Fine." Legolas was hoping that they would just ride through the night. He didn't feel like setting camp with his father, it would be just like every other time, boring. His father would want to tell him tales of the days before he was born and talk of Legolas's mother among other things that were to emotional for Legolas's liking.  
  
"Or we could ride through if you want." Thranduil suggested.  
  
"That'd be better." Legolas called to his father excitedly, not that he really wanted to go to Rivendell but it was all the same now.  
  
"We can do that." Thranduil was disappointed that they wouldn't be camping, he loved to talk to Legolas then, they never got any other time.  
  
~  
  
It was late in the evening when Elrohir was released from his duties in the kitchen. He stormed back to his room where Elladan was lying on his bed reading as though nothing had happened.  
  
"You've done it again!" Elrohir exclaimed as he slammed their door behind him.  
  
"Done what again?" Elladan asked innocently.  
  
"You know what!" Elrohir marched over to Elladan's bed and hit him in the back of the head with a pillow as hard as he could.  
  
"Ow! What was that for!?" Elladan jumped off his bed and stood, arms crossed glaring at Elrohir.  
  
"What do you think moron!" Elrohir mirrored his brother's stance. Unknowingly the two had the exact same posture and facial expressions when they were angry.  
  
"Don't call me that!" Elladan demanded.  
  
"I'll call you whatever I want!" Elrohir jeered.  
  
"I hate you!" Elladan yelled.  
  
Elrohir paused; he didn't know what to say. They had been in fights before but they never said that before. He couldn't believe he had just heard that come out of his brother's mouth.  
  
"Yea? Well, I hate you too!" Elrohir said coolly.  
  
"Good!"  
  
"Good!"  
  
"Fine!  
  
"Fine!"  
  
Elrohir turned and went over to his bed and pulled off his day clothes and changed into his night ones, still fuming with Elladan.  
  
Elladan followed his brother and also pulled on his nightclothes, fine, he hates me then I hate him more!  
  
Elrohir climbed into his bed and stared at the ceiling. He couldn't believe he had said that to his brother! You aren't supposed to tell anyone that you hate them! No matter what, that is what their father had always taught them. Know he had broken his father's rule and, not only that but said it to his own brother, his own blood! His twin!  
  
Elladan blew out the candle beside his bed and the room was emerged in darkness, did he really hate his brother? What had made him say that? Well, it doesn't matter now Elrohir had said it too, didn't he? Elrohir deserved to hear that! He had it coming! For the past few months all he has done is yell and blame everything on Elladan! No, he didn't hate him. Maybe sometimes he was annoyed but never hated his twin.  
  
~ 


	3. One The Road Again

First Time Around  
  
~  
  
Legolas and Thranduil rode on through the night and all through the next day, mostly in silence. Legolas preferring not to speak with his father, he knew it would just lead to subjects he did not want to talk about, mainly marriage and all that sort of thing. Sure Legolas was interested in girls but certainly not in a marriage way! He just wanted to have a little fun with them, didn't his father understand that?!  
  
"So, Legolas, what do you think of the girl you met the other day?" Thranduil broke through the silence.  
  
"What girl?" Legolas wasn't really paying attention.  
  
"The one I introduced you to after lunch, she was pretty wasn't she? Very sweet girl too." Thranduil continued.  
  
Legolas remembered her well enough, if you are referring to that girl who seemed to think the world revolved around her then no, she wasn't all that pretty and certainly not nice.  
  
"Um, I guess so." Legolas didn't feel like arguing with his father at the moment.  
  
"You should get to know her better." Thranduil so brashly hinted towards his son.  
  
"Father, really I can meet girls on my own I do not need help I am perfectly capable I assure you of that!" Legolas burst out wanting the conversation to end right then.  
  
"If you think you are going to meet the right kind of girls out practicing archery all day than you are mistaken. You need to go find respectable girls, from good families who will know how to raise proper children and be a good wife!" Thranduil challenged back, really what was his son thinking!?  
  
"Father! I will find a girl when I find one! What's the big rush anyways!?" Legolas was on the verge of yelling at his father but figured that he should just keep it in, seeing as they were alone in the forest and there was plenty of time for Thranduil to yell back.  
  
"I just don't think you are trying very hard. I'm not saying I want you to marry right away but you need to start thinking of girls now, it takes a while to find a good one you know. I courted your mother for two hundred years before we married." Thranduil usually did not speak of Legolas's mother but knew that bringing her up now would quiet Legolas from further agrument.  
  
"Well, there is still plenty of time for that." Legolas answered, why did he have to bring up mother!?  
  
~  
  
"Wake up boys!" Erestor entered the twin's bedroom to find both of them still in bed, facing opposite directions.  
  
"I don't want to." Elladan said grumpily.  
  
"To bad, today you have lessons." Erestor opened that large drapes that covered the windows and allowed the sun to pour in the room, unfortunately for Elrohir he was facing the window, "Erestor! Did you have to do that?!"  
  
"Yes, get up. You have lessons today." Erestor repeated himself and stood over Elladan's bed waiting for him to move.  
  
Elrohir was out of bed and already putting on his clothing by the time Elladan finally rolled out of bed and made a move towards his wardrobe.  
  
"Why do we have lessons today, they aren't supposed to be until tomorrow." Elladan complained.  
  
"Because King Thranduil will be arriving tomorrow and we want to get your lessons done today." Erestor explained waiting for the elf to pull his clothes on.  
  
"Is he the one father says is 'different'?" Elladan asked.  
  
"Elladan! Do not say such things and no, this is not the elf you are thinking of anyways. Your father is good friends with Thranduil, they are making new alliance negotiations and that sort of thing. And of course taking time to visit with each other. They last time they got together was before you two were born." Erestor rushed Elladan out the door with Elrohir behind him, making faces at his brothers' back.  
  
"Erestor!" Glorfindel greeted Erestor outside the study where he was taking the twins, "Some news, it seems Thranduil will be arriving today, he left a day earlier than expected and had a quick journey." Glorfindel informed Erestor.  
  
"Oh," Erestor looked a little disappointed he wouldn't be able to teach the twins, "Okay then you two, go off and be good, do not get dirty and be presentable when your father calls for you to meet King Thranduil." Erestor waved the twins off.  
  
"Good, I hate those boring lessons anyways." Elladan said as the two headed back towards their room to put on nicer robes, "Who is this Thranduil anyways?"  
  
"You heard he is one of father's friends." Elrohir answered, annoyed his brother never listened to anyone.  
  
"Yea, I wonder if anyone else is coming?" Elladan opened the door to their room and went straight towards his bed.  
  
"I heard that his son is coming too, the prince. I heard he was our age." Elrohir pulled out his favourite formal robe and started to change.  
  
"Oh yea, where did you hear that?" Elladan was surprised his brother had heard something he did not already know.  
  
"While I was in the kitchen after you got me in trouble." Elrohir pulled on his robe and straightened it out, "Aren't you going to change?" Elrohir asked his brother.  
  
"Erestor said be presentable, not put on nice robes." Elladan smiled smugly.  
  
"Father will be angry, you know he likes to great all guests as if they were important and I think this one really is." Elrohir raised his eyebrow, much like his father, and went about fixing his hair.  
  
"You're such a girl sometimes, you hang out with Arwen to much." Elladan sneered as Elrohir expertly fixed his hair and did one last check over his outfit.  
  
"At least I don't like or act like a slob." Elrohir retorted back at Elladan.  
  
"I am not a slob I just prefer more comfortable clothes." Elladan reluctantly got back out of bed and went to his still open wardrobe to look for a formal robe.  
  
"I thought so." Elrohir grinned.  
  
"I don't have any clean ones." Elladan said after he searched through his messy clothes.  
  
"You are as dirty as a dwarf!" Elrohir cried out.  
  
"You look like one!"  
  
"And you look like me!" Elrohir called back.  
  
"Yea well," Elladan couldn't think of anything to say, why did they have to be identical?! "I still need a robe."  
  
"Fine, borrow one of mine but if you mess it up you're dead." Elrohir handed over his least favourite formal robe for his brother's use.  
  
~ 


	4. Ancient Bodies

First Time Around  
  
~  
  
Because someone asked me, Estel is not in this story, he's not even born yet. This story is about 200 or 300 years before Song For None. The boys are all very young, about 100. Hope that answers your questions!  
  
~  
  
Elladan yanked the robe over his head and looked in the mirror, whatever he looked good enough.  
  
"Where are you going?" Elrohir called to his brother, in a voice that matched their fathers; though was unknown to him.  
  
"I'm done, I'm going to go find father and ask him who these elves are who are coming to visit." Elladan answered his brother, wasn't it obvious?  
  
"With that hairdo?" Elrohir eyed his brother's rather messy half-pulled back hair.  
  
"What am I supposed to do with it?"  
  
"Fix it you ninny." Elrohir rolled his eyes, really his brother could be so daft some times.  
  
"You know I can't do hair." Elladan sighed.  
  
"Fine, I'll do it for you." Elrohir motioned for Elladan to sit in his chair so he could fix his hair.  
  
Elladan sat down facing the large mirror that only Elrohir seemed to know was in the room.  
  
Elrohir quickly combed out the tangles in Elladan's thick hair before starting on the braids that he had already done in his hair.  
  
"Are you done yet?" The impatient Elladan asked after Elrohir had just started the braiding process.  
  
"Hold still!" Elrohir commanded and expertly finished with Elladan's hair.  
  
Elladan didn't even bother to look in the mirror but headed straight towards the door, "Oh yea, and when I said I hated you last night I didn't really mean it." Elladan said quickly before disappearing out the door.  
  
Elrohir smiled and did one last check of his outfit, "I know. Neither did I."  
  
~  
  
Thranduil stopped his horse not to far from the Rivendell gates.  
  
"What are we stopping for?" Legolas looked around them.  
  
"So we can make ourselves look presentable when we arrive." Thranduil dismounted and kneeled beside the small stream to wash his face. Legolas followed his fathers' actions and when he was done he turned to see his father holding a formal robe out to him.  
  
"I have to wear that?" Legolas looked at the robe, of all his formal ones his father had to pick that one! It was the most hideous one they owned!  
  
"Yes, this one. I wore it the first time I met your mother." Thranduil smiled at the fond memory.  
  
Legolas took the robe from his father's hands and stared at it, no wonder it was so ugly it was older than Middle Earth itself!  
  
Thranduil waited until Legolas had the robe on before he started to straighten out the non-existent wrinkles and then gave his usual 'you-hair- is-a-mess' look. Legolas sighed and did his best to pull the leaves and twigs that were beginning to be a usual decoration in his hair.  
  
"Okay, we are ready to meet Lord Elrond and his sons." Thranduil smiled.  
  
"Sons? As in plural?" Legolas asked as his father headed towards the gates.  
  
~  
  
Elrond waited as Erestor and Glorfindel came bounding down the hallway towards him. Both looked glorious in their formal robes and the three together were s stunning sight as they stood waiting for the twins and the arrival of King Thranduil.  
  
"Here come your sons." Glorfindel nodded down the hallway as Elladan came slowly moping down the hall and Elrohir walked tall and proud, a near spitting image of his father.  
  
Elladan stood, fidgeting the while time next to Elrond and Elrohir stood as regal as he could next to Glorfindel, who just succeeded in making the young elf seem smaller and more childlike than anything.  
  
Soon Thranduil entered the courtyard followed closely by a rather grumpy looking Legolas.  
  
"Greetings King Thranduil, friend from Mirkwood and to the young Prince Legolas. Both of you are welcome in Imladris and especially in my home." Elrond greeted Thranduil in his usual regal and lordly greeting.  
  
Thranduil smiled gratefully and dismounted his stead, "Many thanks from our people for your kindness and gratitude. I am grateful to be so warmly received in your home master Elrond." Thranduil replied and both lay their hands over their hearts and bowed their heads.  
  
"Come, Vebor and the others will tend to your horses. You must come in and rest." Elrond stepped the side to allow Vebor and three other servants go to the horses. Thranduil waited for Legolas to dismount and follow him up the steps.  
  
All the formality had Elladan feeling that Thranduil had already worn out his welcome.  
  
Elrohir was glad that he might get a chance to really practice formal speech and other such things through Thranduil's stay though.  
  
Elrond and Thranduil walked side by side through the halls until they reached the already prepared eating room. The older elves sat down and the three young elflings stood awkwardly not quite sure of what they should do.  
  
"You three may sit over there and make welcome." Erestor pointed towards a smaller table set for just the three.  
  
"Great, we get to 'make welcome' with prince ninny now." Elladan whispered as Elrohir lead the way to the table.  
  
"Elladan, you don't even know him!" Elrohir hissed back at his brother. He was now again thoroughly annoyed with his brother.  
  
Elrohir waited until Legolas was in his seat before he started to gather food onto his plate, unlike Elladan who had already started eating.  
  
"Welcome to Rivendell, I am Elrohir and this is my brother Elladan." Elrohir smiled pleasantly at Legolas.  
  
"Legolas, thank you for welcoming me here." Legolas replied and begin to start eating the delicious food.  
  
Elladan wanted to throw his fork at his brother for acting all 'high-and- might-just-like-father-would-want' and that stupid look he was giving Elladan every now and then that was saying 'be-more-like-father'. Annoying really.  
  
Just as Elladan thought he could truly take no more of the stuffiness both Thranduil and Glorfindel broke out into a loud fit of laughter. Elrond was smiling and waving his hands around animatedly while telling some long-ago story. And Erestor was trying with all his might to keep from snorting.  
  
"Then Celeborn nearly fell off his horse he was so embarrassed!" Elrond finished the story and burst out laughing along with the rest.  
  
All three young elves were staring in disbelief at the older elves, so there was still life left in those ancient bodies.  
  
~ 


	5. Old Pranks Gone Wrong

First Time Around  
  
~  
  
Legolas was staring at his usually mellow and calm father as he nearly fell to the floor due to his laughter, what in Middle Earth had happened to 'you must be noble and regal at all times, it is my duty as king and yours as prince'?  
  
Elladan and Elrohir were in equal states of shock, was this their father telling such wild stories and acting, young?  
  
"Elladan, let's go." Elrohir whispered to his twin.  
  
"Good idea." Elladan nodded and nearly fled out the door.  
  
Legolas decided that he didn't want to be left behind and followed the twins.  
  
"Hey, wait up!" Legolas called as he ran out the door.  
  
"Remember the time that Galadriel nearly blow her top off at Haldir for letting Celebrian sneak out to see me in that glade-"  
  
Elladan and Elrohir heard no more but were not in the least bit sad about it, they didn't even want to imagine what would be following that part of the story.  
  
"Yuck! I don't even want to think about that!" Elladan shook his head as he stopped running and leaned against a wall overlooking the river running through the middle of Rivendell.  
  
"Our fathers must have been good friends for a long time." Legolas raised his eyebrows, trying to imagine his father being young and having 'fun' with his friends and his mother.  
  
"Let's go find Dairuin and Mahtan." Elladan suggested.  
  
"Who are they?" Legolas asked not wanting to be left out of potential fun.  
  
"Friends, we'll introduce you to them." Elrohir explained as Elladan lead the way towards where their two friends housed.  
  
~  
  
"Mahtan is out hunting with some other elves." Elrohir announced as he rejoined with Legolas, Elrohir, and their just found friend Dairuin.  
  
"This is Prince Legolas from Mirkwood." Elrohir introduced Legolas.  
  
"Legolas will do." Legolas corrected Elrohir; he hated being known as Prince Legolas.  
  
"Dairuin."  
  
The two nodded and followed Elladan and Elrohir who were making their way to their sisters 'secret pool' where they could all get away from the older elves for a while.  
  
"What's Mirkwood like?" Dairuin asked Legolas as the four dropped into the cool grass beside the pool.  
  
"It's very nice, I like it. It's a big forest with plenty of trees and wildlife to hunt." Legolas gave the brief description wondering what his friends were up to back home. He had never before left the forests of Mirkwood more than a few hundred meters and that was for only very short reasons.  
  
"I would like to go there some day, to Lothlorein too." Dairuin lay back on the grass and starred up into the cloudy sky.  
  
"Arwen is in Lothlorein now, she always goes there." Elladan said picking at the tall grass beside the pool.  
  
"You're just mad that you can't go and annoy Haldir. Father knows you'd cause to much trouble." Elrohir smiled smugly at his brother.  
  
"It's not like you got to go either, after what happened last time I don't think you'll ever be allowed to go again!" Elladan sneered back.  
  
"What happened?" Legolas look eagerly at Elladan, he was beginning to like this twin, he was wild.  
  
"Nothing!" Elrohir cried out.  
  
"Well I pulled a prank on Haldir, I can't even remember what it was but somehow the Lord Celeborn got there first and the prank happened to him instead. Poor Elrohir happened to be nearby at the time and somehow all the blame got put on him." Elladan smiled fondly at the memory of Elladan being dragged through Lothlorien by Elrond and him crying that it wasn't his fault, Elrond was angry for a week after that.  
  
"Yea, and the whole thing had nothing to do with you or Rumil, I've heard that all before." Elrohir crossed his arms and frowned at his brother.  
  
"Nope, not at all. It was all Orophin's fault." Elladan smiled, though knowing not a single one of them believed him.  
  
"Yea, I love that story I wish I could have been there." Dairuin laughed at his friend's obvious embarrassment.  
  
"I don't and I hate when you tell that story Elladan!" Elrohir sniffed unhappily and threw his boots at Elladan as he waded into the water.  
  
"I know and that is why I tell it of course." Elladan laughed as he ducked an incoming boot.  
  
"Anymore embarrassing stories to tell?" Legolas asked as he followed Elrohir's lead and made ready to enter the water.  
  
"There are plenty more, he has a knack for getting into trouble." Elladan smiled as Elrohir frowned at him from the middle of the clear pool.  
  
"I can't wait for the day when you get caught and you get your due punishment." Elrohir smiled at that thought.  
  
"It won't be for hundreds and hundreds of years if it even comes!" Elladan smiled and dove off a rock into the water splashing Dairuin and Legolas as they waded into the pool.  
  
"It's Elladan who causes all the trouble but Elrohir who always gets caught. Everyone around here knows that it's Elladan who does the trouble making but poor Elrohir always seems to be around when the trouble happens and Elladan leaves no sign of his doing." Dairuin explained to Legolas as the two swam out to Elrohir.  
  
~ 


	6. All In Brotherly Love

First Time Around  
  
~  
  
Warning: Some nudity, though it's not like you'll see anything. Darn. No worries no slash or anything just plain fun brotherly evilness. ~  
  
Elladan splashed water at his poor unsuspecting brother and ducked under the water before Elrohir could return the favour.  
  
"He is so annoying sometimes!" Elrohir said exasperatedly.  
  
"You are just as annoying!" Elladan called back from the shore where he was holding Elrohir's boots.  
  
"Elladan don't! You know those are my favourite boots and I hate trying to dry them!" Elrohir called to his brother who was dangling the boots over the edge of the pool.  
  
"I won't if you jump off the waterfall," Elladan smiled.  
  
"Okay?" Elladan headed towards the waterfall, not like he had never done that before.  
  
"Only wearing absolutely nothing at all." Elladan finished with a laugh.  
  
"What?! No!" Elrohir couldn't believe his brother!  
  
"What are you scared? Scaredy Elrohir!" Elladan taunted and Dairuin and Legolas just watching with smiles, these two certainly were interesting.  
  
"I am not scared." Elrohir placed his hands on his hips and glared at Elladan.  
  
"Then do it." Elladan sneered.  
  
"Fine, I will." Elrohir headed out of the water and tore off his dripping under-robes and threw them onto the ground where his formal robe was lying in a neatly folded pile.  
  
"You need a tan on that rear!" Elladan called after Elrohir as he ran up the rocks as quick as his legs would allow.  
  
Elrohir peeked over the edge of the water, Legolas and Dairuin had removed themselves from the pool for Elrohir's jump. Elladan was standing on the edge of the pool still, dangling his nice boots as before.  
  
"Okay, I'm jumping." Elrohir announced and stepped towards the edge and made a quick jump into the water. Funny, water always seems colder when you aren't wearing any clothing.  
  
"Beautiful Elrohir, a real masterpiece of art there." Dairuin shook his head at the nude wet twin; "To bad you were stupid enough to fall for that one." He finished and Elrohir looked to wear his clothes had been. Too bad they weren't there anymore.  
  
"ELLADAN!!" Elrohir shouted after his long disappeared brother.  
  
"Oh, come on, you have to admit it is kind of funny." Legolas laughed along with Dairuin.  
  
"Oh yea, laugh it up. You wouldn't be laughing if he had taken your clothes." Elrohir rolled his eyes and started to wade to shore.  
  
"He did take the rest of our clothes so that we couldn't lend you any." Legolas pointed to there missing pile of clothes as well.  
  
"Great, that's just great. I am truly going to tear him to piece this time." Elrohir stood in the pool unsure of what to do.  
  
"We could have someone bring you some clothes?" Legolas suggested.  
  
"I would do that but the maidens will be here soon for there usual daily swim and that would not do well with them to find me naked in their 'private' pool that I am not supposed to know about." Elrohir couldn't believe his luck.  
  
"Well mate, I hope you can run." Dairuin smiled and headed into the woods.  
  
Legolas couldn't help but smile at Elrohir's rather embarrassing dilemma.  
  
"I'll walk with you, though not to close, you know." Legolas offered as Elrohir climbed timidly out of the pool.  
  
"Would you cover up with some leaves or something?" Legolas laughed as they headed back towards the house.  
  
~  
  
Elladan smothered his laughter into his friends, and brother's robes as he ran back to his room. This was great! And if he was really lucky he might hear the maidens screaming when they see Elrohir naked in their pool!  
  
~  
  
Elrond, Thranduil, Glorfindel, and Erestor were heading towards the main study to read the old agreements and make some new ones when Elladan ran past with quite a pile of clothes in his hands.  
  
"I swear my sons both get stranger by the day!" Elrond exclaimed as Elladan ran around the corner.  
  
"Tell me about it, Legolas is beginning to be a bit odd himself, it must be the age." Thranduil agreed.  
  
"What in Middle Earth!?" Glorfindel exclaimed as Legolas, closely followed by a very improperly clothes Elrohir came tearing in the hall, leaving little puddles of water behind them.  
  
"Elrohir!" Elrohir called to his eldest son.  
  
"Um, father?" Elrohir stopped and stood closely behind a snickering Legolas.  
  
"Where are your clothes?!" Elrond was still in shock for the moment being.  
  
"Running back towards my room I believe." Elrohir answered.  
  
"Well I suggest you go find them and put them back on! Especially before you go gallivanting around Rivendell like that! We'll will talk about this over dinner, don't be late!" Elrond waved his son off and continued to the study, "See what I have to deal with?"  
  
"I can't imagine having two boys to look after. One is quite enough." Thranduil shook his head sympathetically.  
  
~  
  
"ELLADAN!" Elrohir burst into their shared bedroom in all his bare glory.  
  
"Oh, Elrohir I see you made it back." Elladan said pleasantly from his vantage point on his bed.  
  
"Dear gods elf, put some clothes on!" Legolas shut the door before some poor servant girl happened by.  
  
"I would have clothes on already if it wasn't for Elladan!" Elrohir shouted at his brother and Legolas.  
  
"No one made you take that dare." Elladan said matter-of-factly.  
  
Elrohir silenced, what could he say to that?  
  
~ 


	7. Same Song, Second Verse

First Time Around  
  
~  
  
Sorry about the delay in updates *mumbling* damn school, damn work. *Still mumbling evil things upon all those that demand school and work*  
  
~  
  
"You were the smart one that took the dare." Elladan climbed to the edge of his bed and leaned against the post.  
  
"You were going to ruin my boots!" Elrohir burst out and was going to tackle his brother but remembered he didn't have any clothes on and didn't want to make poor Legolas endure anything of that kind.  
  
Elrohir stalked over to his wardrobe and pulled on his house robes and turned to face the patiently waiting Legolas and Elladan. "I am going to kick your butt from here to-"  
  
Elrohir's sentence was cut off by a loud bell signaling it was time for dinner.  
  
"What do you know it's dinner and, I suspect father will want to discuss your clothing impediment too." Elladan smiled and followed Legolas out of the room.  
  
Elrohir stood in a terror, what was he going to do! Father would kill him! Elrohir walked as slowly as he possibly could without being to late to dinner, doing anything to delay his lecture that he knew would be coming.  
  
~  
  
When Elrohir entered the already full dining hall Elladan and Legolas were seated near their father for the formal 'Introduce the guest to the rest' usual feast that father always had to have even if the guest wasn't important. Any excuse to party.  
  
"Elrohir, I see you're looking better." Elrond nodded to his son as he had to pass his father to get to his seat, Elladan so kindly took the one on the side that they didn't have to pass father.  
  
"Yes, thank you. Much better." Elrohir nodded and hurried to pass by.  
  
"Do I sense a lecture coming on?" Thranduil smiled after Elrohir passed.  
  
"I haven't decided yet. I'm sure, no I take that back, I know Elladan had something to do with it!" Elrond shook his head. Twins, what are you going to do with them?  
  
"Everyone, I'd like to take this moment to introduce a special guest this evening whom we haven't seen in a very long time, King Thranduil of Mirkwood and someone hardly any of you but messengers, if even that, have meet before, Prince Legolas of Mirkwood." Elrond introduced the two and there were many hellos and other things called out.  
  
During dinner many elves came up to say hello to Thranduil, apparently many had met before. Surprisingly many that came up were female and there were quite a few daughters that came up who introduced themselves to Legolas as well.  
  
After dinner was over and the elves were headed towards the Hall of Fire, Legolas caught up with Elladan and Elrohir who were, as they usually were of late, bickering together.  
  
"If he yells at me I'm dragging you along with me! It's your fault to you know!" Elrohir said to his brother.  
  
"You didn't have to take the dare!" Elladan said back rolling his eyes, same song, second verse.  
  
"Still! You'll get in trouble too!" Elrohir called over his shoulder as he stalked away to his friend waiting upon him, Mahtan.  
  
"You two always fight like this?" Legolas asked as Elrohir stalked away.  
  
"Well, we didn't used to fight like this. It's been bad lately though." Elladan shrugged.  
  
"That's weird." Legolas commented and entered the hall.  
  
"Elrohir, Elladan, and Legolas please come with me." Erestor called to the boys as they entered. Erestor lead them back out into the hallway where Glorfindel was waiting for them.  
  
"Since you seemed to be having so much fun earlier with your clothing your fathers thought it would only be appropriate to have you help with the washing this evening." Glorfindel smiled down at the boys.  
  
"What did I do!?" Legolas exclaimed, he couldn't believe this! It was just like his father, hand out punishment and ask questions later!  
  
"'You were somehow involved' that is what your father said." Glorfindel repeated the same words Thranduil had used only a few seconds earlier.  
  
"Glorfindel, he really wasn't involved it was just Elrohir and I." Elladan vouched for Legolas.  
  
"I'm sorry, direct orders from Thranduil and Elrond. You'd best do as they say or there'll be more trouble." Glorfindel gave a sympathetic smile, knowing that Legolas must not have been involved if Elladan stuck up for him and left the three sulking and on their way towards the wash room.  
  
"This bites. I can't believe it." Elladan mumbled as they walked towards the room.  
  
"It's your fault you know." Elrohir sniffed.  
  
"Oh, now don't start that again!" Elladan sighed. 


	8. Some Thoughtful Advice

First Time Around  
  
~  
  
"I don't know how to wash dishes." Legolas stared at the pile of plates in front of him like it was going to jump up and bite him.  
  
"Get them wet." Elladan shook his head.  
  
"Then what?" Elrohir dumped a bunch of plates into the basin of warm water.  
  
"I don't know, get the dirt of them, I guess." Elladan looked around for a towel or something to rub the dirt off with.  
  
"Ugh, I don't want to do this!" Elrohir grumbled and dumped more plates into the basin.  
  
"You have to dry them off, I know that." Legolas pointed out to Elladan as he started stacking plates that were 'clean'.  
  
"How are you boys doing?" The cook walked into the washing room to inspect the boys work so far, "That's all you've done?" The cook looked at the very large pile of still dirty plates and at the very small pile of 'clean' plates. "Those aren't clean. You need to use the soap to clean them too!"  
  
"What?" Elladan looked at the cook with a not too happy face.  
  
The cook pushed Elladan out of the way and showed them how to properly wash the dishes, pity this way took longer too.  
  
The cook left, and the three young elves were grumpier than before.  
  
"My father is going to hear about this one." Legolas nearly threw an unwashed plate into the sick with his anger.  
  
"Just like father too, make us do something horrible and we didn't even do anything that bad!" Elladan complained.  
  
"It's still all your fault." Elrohir handed Elladan a plate to put away. The three had wised up and formed an assembly line, Legolas washes, Elrohir rinses and dries, and Elladan puts them all away.  
  
"Do not start with me right now Elrohir! I am not in a good mood!" Elladan warned before he hit his brother.  
  
"Please don't start arguing now, we still have a whole load of dishes to wash yet." Legolas pleaded with the two.  
  
"All right, all right. I'll just wait until later before I beat him to the bone." Elrohir shoved another plate towards Elladan.  
  
"All right, you know what? After we are done, we are going to the practice fields and I am going to give you the biggest beating of your life!" Elladan glared at Elrohir.  
  
"You two can schedule your play-date later, now we have dishes to wash." Legolas called to the two and both turned back to their work with massive frowns on their usually calm faces, "I think I will rinse and dry so I can be in between you two." Legolas switched places with Elrohir.  
  
~  
  
Two hours later and not a word exchanged between Elladan and Elrohir the three walked out of the wash room.  
  
"I see you three are done with your duties, you may all go to your rooms now. Elladan I think you should go to Arwen's room for the night, please." Elrond was standing, with his usual noble smile outside the door waiting for the three.  
  
"What? Why do I have to go to-"  
  
"No arguments please, just go." Elrond cut off Elladan.  
  
"Fine." Elladan stomped off towards his sister's room.  
  
"Good, he deserves it." Elrohir mumbled after Elladan had left the hall.  
  
"Why don't you like your brother?" Legolas asked Elrohir as the two headed towards their rooms.  
  
"It's not that I don't like him it's just that we don't get along much anymore. We're a two different people, you know?" Elrohir looked at Legolas, he didn't know. He couldn't know, only someone with a twin would understand.  
  
"I don't know, it just seems that if I had a brother that I would want to get along with him and I'd want to be friends with them. They are always around you-"  
  
"I know, that's the annoying part, you can't get away from them!" Elrohir threw his hands up in the air in frustration.  
  
"He's not here now. And you have someone to share things that friends just don't understand with. Like things about your father, you're life." Legolas argued.  
  
"We used to be like that but then things just seemed to change." Elrohir shrugged and stopped outside his bedroom door.  
  
"Well, of course you're not going to be the same person. You both have your similarities and your differences. You should be happy you aren't the same and try to accept each others differences." Legolas sighed, why did he bother? He didn't have a twin, or even a brother.  
  
"I guess." Elrohir looked at the floor in thought.  
  
"Well, see you tomorrow." Legolas said and headed towards his own room.  
  
~  
  
Elladan slammed Arwen's door behind him. This was just great. Of course he gets stuck in her room, he always did. He was in here so often he even had some clothes in here!  
  
Elladan yanked open the door in which his clothes were placed and pulled them on, nearly tearing his shirt with his anger and threw himself onto Arwen's bed, very girly bed.  
  
Why did he and Elrohir fight so much? Things have changed so much between the two, it's like they are completely different people than what they used to be.  
  
Elladan fell asleep to memories of him and his twin running around Rivendell, hand in hand, never wanting to leave each other's side.  
  
~ 


End file.
